Melissa takes care of Kalani
by writingfofree
Summary: It's season 7, Melissa is Kalani's legal guardian, Kira is back home taking care of her new baby. Melissa has been doing a great job with Kalani, but when Kalani gets sick, Melissa really proves how much she cares about her.
1. Kalani doesn't feel well

Melissa sat watching Kalani dance at the LA studio. Melissa had become Kalani's legal guardian because Kira was having a baby and unable to travel with the team. Melissa thought Kalani was a lovely girl and a beautiful dancer but today something looked off.

Her neck and chest appeared sweatier than usual, she would hesitate after doing multiple turns in a row. She put her hand to her head, or her stomach several times between dances. Kalani and Kendall were dismissed from learning their duet. Kalani headed straight for Melissa, who reached out her arms as Kalani crumpled into her. "What's wrong baby?" she pulled her back and looked right into her eyes.

"I really don't feel good" Kalani said weakly.

"You didn't eat much for lunch either, were you not feeling well then either?" Melissa had a serious look on her face. Kalani nodded. "When did you start not feeling well? why didn't you tell me?"

Melissa's daughter Maddie had also been sick at dance class once before, but she didn't have any physical symptoms, she said her stomach hurt. Melissa had Maddie dance through the pain. If Maddie wanted to do commercials or dance in music videos, she really had to have the stamina to keep going until it was physically impossible. Commercial actors and backup dancers don't get sick days, they get replaced. With Kalani it was different, she was not her daughter for one, she wasn't going to force someone else's child to do something, and Kalani appeared physically weak and unwell.

"When I woke up I felt off, but I thought I would be okay and dance through it." She started tearing up. Melissa wrapped her arms around her once again and rubbed her back.

"Oh honey," Melissa started tearing up as well. That was a quirk of hers that Mckenzie also inherited. Whenever someone else around them was upset or crying, they also would start to cry. "I know it's hard with your mom being gone, but you have to tell me how you feel so I can take better care of you".

Holly patted Kalani's back "If you don't feel well, you can ask her or any of us for some medicine, or just to take a break."

Jill put her hand on Kalani's head "You feel a little warm, maybe if you would have told us sooner we could have gotten you some aspirin to bring down this fever". Kalani nodded pulling a warm long sleeve top out of her dance bag.

"I'm really cold" she said pulling it over her sports bra.

"You must have chills, it's warm outside, warm in here, look Kendall is still sweating," Holly gestured to Kendall who was playing with Kalani's hair.

"What hurts?" Melissa asked with concern.

"I feel cold and shaky, my stomach hurts and my head hurts, doing my turns was making me dizzy" She whimpered.

"Maddie and Mckenzie have like ten more minutes of class, why don't you lay down right here, you can put your head on my lap and rest" Melissa said. Kalani laid down and fell asleep right away.


	2. Lets go home

When Melissa woke her up she felt like she had been out for hours. "Okay their classes are just about finished, why don't we go see Miss Abby so she knows the situation if we need to keep you out tomorrow". Kalani weakly stood up. She grabbed Melissa tightly as she felt dizzy, Melissa held her up as they walked to Abby's office.

Melissa knocked on the slightly ajar door. "Abby we need to talk to you".

Great, Abby thought to herself. More complaints. However her mind changed when the door opened and she took one look at Kalani. "Kalani's really not feeling well" Melissa said.

Abby put her arms out and Kalani leaned into her for a hug. When Kalani moved Melissa realized how much she was holding up Kalani and how weak she must feel. "I know", Abby said, "It's tough being sick away from your mom. I loved when my mom took care of me when I was sick, the first time I was sick without her it was really hard." Melissa, hearing Abby teared up, again. "How about we skip tomorrow, we can still teach Kendall the duet, if you're better on Wednesday you can learn the rest, don't worry about the group dance we want you to take it easy."

"If I don't feel better on Wednesday" Kalani said weakly.

"This was a duet for you and Kendall, so we can save it for next week," Kalani looked relieved to hear this, as she hated letting people down. Abby released her from the hug.

"Feel better Kalani, keep me updated, Melissa," She said. Melissa looked to Kalani and saw her shake so she instantly grabbed on to her and walked her out of the office.

"How about we take a little break right here," Melissa said just outside of Abby's office. "Okay sit down gently right here, put your knees up, head between your knees and you'll feel better". Melissa felt bad, if it were one of her own tiny girls she would have just picked them up and carried them to the car, however Kalani was almost the same size as her, and that wouldn't work.

"Everything Okay down there Melis" Jill yelled.

"She's really not feeling great" Melissa frowned.

"Kendall and I could carry her, we've done it in a dance" Jojo, who was taking off her dance shoes added. Kendall and Jojo each put one arm under her legs and one arm behind her back. It was a short walk to the car.

"Thanks guys" Kalani said softly.

"We love you Kalani, we're here for you,"Jojo said and gave her a hug.

"Don't even worry about the duet, just feel better," Kendall said. Maddie and Mckenzie headed over to the car.

"Kalani's not feeling good," Melissa told them. Mckenzie reached to the front seat and patted her shoulder.

"Thanks Kenz" Kalani said. It was just about dinner time and Maddie and Mckenzie were starving from all the dancing. Melissa told them they could order in, as she wanted to get Kalani home, and smelling fast food would probably not help her feel better.


	3. Melissa is comforting

They arrived home. "Just take your time, lean on me, just a couple more steps and you won't have to walk again for a while" Melissa said helping her into the house.

"I forgot my dance bag," Kalani said as she sat on the couch.

"No it's right here, I got it for you" Maddie said with a smile. Kalani had never had brothers and sisters until her mom had the baby. It was weird to be staying with people close in age to her but she felt so grateful when Maddie unzipped the side and pulled out her cell phone. "I have an extra long charger, how about I bring it so you can still have your phone with you on the couch". That made Kalani smile. She really liked how great the Zieglers were. Maddie went off to get the charger, Mckenzie brought out pillows and blankets and her pajamas.

"Kenz, go take my credit card to Maddy and have her order some Uber eats on her phone, Kalani baby do you want to try and eat anything?" Kalani just shook her head. "How about we call your mom and let her know you don't feel good."

Just as Melissa went back to get her phone Kalani called her name and she instantly came back. "I'm embarrassed to say this but I think I might get sick." She looked very pale. Within an instant melissa had brought back the trash can and was tying Kalani's hair into a bun.

"Don't be embarrassed baby girl, you're sick and I'm your mom now, I get to take care of you." Melissa was so great rubbing her back, comforting her, telling her she loved her.

"I think I feel better now," Kalani said after a while. Melissa looked at her again. "I mean I still don't feel good, but I'm done throwing up". Melissa took the trashcan away and brought back a cup of water and a cool cloth.

Melissa called Kira.

"Kalani isn't feeling good," Kalani heard Melissa say into the phone. She kind of didn't want her mom knowing because she knew it would make her feel bad knowing she had gotten sick while Kira wasn't able to be here for her. Melissa continued, "I don't think she needs to go to the doctors, if she's not better by tomorrow night I will take her on Wednesday, unless you want me to take her sooner?… okay, we're on the same page then, yes, is there any medicine she can't have" Kalani could here Melissa getting louder meaning she was coming closer. She really didn't want to talk to her mom because she knew it would make her upset.

"Hi mom," She was trying to sound better. "Yeah, yes I did, I'm okay, Melissa is being super great, I need to go now, love you" Kalani hung up the phone and began to cry.

"Oh honey" Melissa gave her a hug. "I know you miss her, but I want you to know I'm here for you one hundred percent, you're one of my girls and I love you." Kalani hadn't even noticed Maddie and Mckenzie had come into the room.

"I love having you here," Mckenzie said.

"Yeah me too, it's nice to have someone else besides Kenzie here" Maddie said. The doorbell rang and the food had arrived.

"Why don't eat that in my room, you can watch my tv, I don't think Kalani is up for any food yet" Melissa suggested. The girls went upstairs. "But yes like I was saying, I love you and you can tell me anything, good, bad, how you feel, if you're upset with your mom, I'm here".

"I don't want her to know this" Kalani began.

"Unless it's your health or safety it's between us," Melissa reassured her.

"I'm really upset that she isn't with me right now, I don't understand why she couldn't have the baby and live here," Kalani was crying. Melissa absolutely had no idea what to say, she didn't agree with what Kira did either, but she took in Kalani because she knew how much she loved being with the ALDC. Melissa comforted her physically, sometimes silence is the best. After a few moments, Kalani calmed down and spoke again. "But there's something else," she started to smile "and I don't want my mom to know this either. I like being with you when I'm sad or don't feel good, my mom is nice, but you're so much more comforting."

"I love you, I'm here" Melissa said. "How about a little more water and a few crackers and then off to bed. You can sleep on your mattress in my room so I can be there for you if you need anything." Kalani nodded her head.

She ate the crackers and kept them down. "I'm still a little hungry," She said to Melissa.

"Can you try some toast" Kalani nodded. She ate the toast and her stomach felt so much better. Melissa lead her down the hallway into her room, the mattress was already there, she must have texted Maddie and Mckenzie to do it. "You get ready, I'll go say goodnight to the girls". Kalani looked at herself in the mirror, her hair was awful, her cheeks were flushed. She couldn't believe how nice Melissa was, it was one thing to take her in, but being so great, even when she was throwing up, was the nicest anyone outside of her family had ever been to her. Kalani laid down and said goodnight to Melissa.


	4. Mid night check in

In the middle of the night she woke up to Melissa's hand on her forehead. "Sorry sweet girl, I was just checking your temperature and you feel really warm, do you think you can sit up to take some medicine?" Kalani nodded. Melissa returned with medicine, water, and a banana. "Can you try the banana too, you haven't had much at all today." Kalani took her medicine and ate the banana and said a weak thank you. She laid back down and returned to sleep.


	5. The next day

The next morning Kalani awoke. It was 8 in the morning and Maddie and Mckenzie had already left for school. She could hear Melissa in the kitchen. Kalani stood up and felt like she had so much more strength than the previous day. She carefully stepped down the hall. "Good morning, oh baby why didn't you call me I could have come to help you".

"It's fine, I feel a lot better," Kalani said with a smile.

"Truthfully?" Melissa looked at her again.

"Well, not enough to be able to dance, but I feel stronger and I'm hungry."

Melissa made her a smoothie and sat with her on the couch watching movies all day. Kalani got better as the day went on and by dinner she was able to eat the whole meal. They watched another movie after dinner with Maddie and Mckenzie and then everyone settled down for bed.


	6. I'm always here

"Do you need to sleep in here again or are you okay in your room?" Melissa asked.

"I think I'm okay now," Kalani responded and together they walked to her room.

"Goodnight sweet girl, I love you. Call out to me if you need anything, anytime, not just when your sick. Middle of the night you need a talk, a hug, a glass of water, just let me know and I'll be there, I'll always be there".

Kalani felt so overwhelmed with love it was making her emotional. "Melissa, thank you for taking such good care of me this week and always. I love you too."


End file.
